Forestry Technician (Fire/Fuels)
Duties: The candidate assists in planning, implementing and coordinating all aspects of a prescribed fire and fuels management program. Formulates and develops plans, budgets and schedules for well precedent fire management operations. Implements and administers technical aspects of the prescribed fire/fuels plan, ensuring that preparation, ignition, holding, mop-up, and rehabilitation are completed to the standards specified and in accordance with regulations, policies, and guidelines. Monitors fire behavior, evaluates fire effects, identifies potential problems and makes recommendations. Develops, prepares, recommends and reviews alternatives for prescribed fire/fuels management plans to perform a wide variety of limited operational projects. Plans, conducts surveys and evaluates data to develop prescriptions for prescribed fire and wildland fire use. Participates in wildland fire and safety training in the techniques, practices, and methods of fire suppression and in the safe, efficient operation and use of tools, equipment, and vehicles used in fire suppression activities. Performs wildfire suppression support as directed within training and physical capabilities and other duties as assigned. Occasional overnight travel may be required for fire suppression or fire related assignments.

Qualification and Experience

Qualifications: For GS-08: The candidate must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level; Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a position-related field of forestry or natural resources management; or an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Examples of specialized experience are: Served as burn boss using various methods in broadcast burning, pile burning, and under burning operations; performed fire pre-suppression or suppression duties on a fire line controlling wildfire and used fire to accomplish fuel treatment prescriptions; and/or assisted in monitoring fire behavior, evaluated fire effects, identified potential problems and made basic recommendations.

For GS-09: The candidate must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-08 grade level; master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., in a position-related field of forestry or natural resources management; or an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Examples of specialized experience are: Developed and executed prescribed burning plans for complex burn projects and a wide variety of fuel types; addressed a broad range of technical fire management problems, such as analyzing on-the-ground fuel conditions and weather; developed specific plans for burning projects after analyzing fuels; and/or recommended direction on priorities, objectives and deadlines for prescribed fire, wildland fire and/or other natural resource activities.

Note: This job is open to land & base management; certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency; federal employees - competitive service; current or former competitive service federal employees; career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL); federal employees who meet the definition of a surplus or displaced employee; veterans; individuals with disabilities; and Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista.